October is Cyber Security Month – Stay safe online

During the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), learn how to keep yourself safe and secure online.

To build on the theme for NCSAM – Securing the Internet is Our Shared Responsibility, here are some Simple Steps to Online Safety.

Stop. Think. Connect.™ is a cybersecurity awareness campaign from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Follow its tips to protect yourself online and make the internet more secure for everyone. These include:

Lock Down Your Login – Usernames and passwords are often not enough to protect important accounts like email, banking, and social media. Fortify your accounts by enabling the strongest authentication tools available, such as multi-factor authentication for your online accounts and fingerprint identification and security keys to lock your mobile device.

Keep a clean machine. Regularly update the software on your Internet-connected devices, including PCs, smartphones, and tablets, to reduce the risk of infection from malware.

Treat personal information like money. Information about you, such as your purchase history and location, has value – just like money. Protect your data by being cautious about how your information is collected by apps and websites.

Own your online presence. Control and limit who can see your information online by checking the privacy and security settings on your accounts and apps. Anything you post publicly could potentially be seen by a cybercriminal, so keep your personal information private.

Share with care. Think before posting about yourself and others online. Consider what a post reveals, who might see it, and how it could be perceived now and in the future.